My buddy Wayne said when he was at Stonehenge he heard someone say, "Why did they build Stongehenge so far from the highway?" Here is Lulu and her class at Stonghenge.
This is our second summer here in London and I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. Last summer - we were here 7 weeks - and everything was new. Lulu's head was in the clouds - everything was so neat - and her class was perfect. It was hard to believe that teaching could be this much fun.
Last year her class had 10 students - mostly graduate students - and they hung on every word out of Lulu's mouth. Lulu had been working all the previous winter lining up the perfect plans and places to visit. She had to present her plans to International Studies at FSU - have them approved by the committee - then make it attractive enough to find students willing to give up 6 weeks of their life and $8000 to visit London. To many school librarians - the course was a great way to satisfy their schools' obligations of taking 6 graduate credits every couple years to keep their teaching licenses. Last summer was truly amazing.
Being the pessimist that only I can be - I kept warning Lulu that this year may be different. First - last year we had perfect weather. Londoners were bragging about the great weather. Normal weather is rainy - foggy - chilly - dreary. Second - because last year's class was so popular and Lulu also condensed it to 3 weeks - double the students enrolled. The price dropped to around $5000 making it a bargain to both FSU students and some from the other states. Florida state waived the out of state fee for national students. Students that were enrolled under Lulu's Project LEAD had their tuition paid - just having to pay their room - food - and travel. Nevertheless - Lulu honed the course to try to fit everyone's needs.
With the classes half over this year - things could not be much better. The students are having a blast -their places to visit are even more interesting - the flats seem better than last year - and the weather has been perfect - 70s - sunny - breezy - no rain.
;
We feel very comfortable in the city - seldom use the GPS to find our way around. Last year one pound was worth $2.00 - and food seemed expensive. This year a pound gets you $1.60 worth of food - still not cheap - but heck you are in one of the great cities of the world.
Lulu should be a tour guide - she seems to be able to touch the pulse of her librarian students. From Harry Potter lore - to flying kites on Primrose Hill - to "Who the heck is Jane Austin?" - she is inspiring.
Buckingham Palace - Big Ben - Westminster Abbey - Stonehenge - Salisbury Cathedral - London Eye - British Museum - British Library - London Theatre - Abbey Road - Oxford - Shakespeare - Victoria and Albert Museum - Billy Elliot - the list is endless. Last year - Lulu and I both lost 10 pounds from all the walking we did.
What is left? After these two weeks in London - there is a week in Paris. That is something new for this year. Then the students can go home - but many are staying for side trips to Holland - Germany - Spain - Russia - and Belgium. Lulu and I will be going to italy. We purchased Unlimited 8-day Eurail passes. With them we can hop on any train and just go. We plan to spend a night at Mount Blanc in the Alps - then Venice - Florence - Pisa - and Rome. Also - we will spend a day at Pontedera - the company town of Piaggio - where everyone in town works at the Vespa Scooter plant.
We will fly back to Atlanta from Rome - then to Tallahassee. Someone once said that even if you die in Tallahassee - on the way to heaven is a stop in Atlanta. On the way over to London - we were offered $1200 to give up our seats in a full plane and fly the next day free. Lulu did not want to miss the faculty meeting - but she promised me on the way home I can take as many "bumps" as I could physically stand.
This year's class and students could not be better. Everyone is motivated - and just tickled to be seeing so many things "like a resident." They enjoy the three weeks away from the distraction of holding a job - taking care of a home - and doing "what their husbands want to do." They are enjoying sending email home. Also pictures - videos - web pages - blogs - ichat - podcasts - and facebooks.
"How can you keep them down on the farm after they've seen Pareee!"
No comments:
Post a Comment